text:
Department of Health and Human Services
National Institutes of Health (NIH), (http://www.nih.gov)
Components of
Participating Organizations
National Cancer Institute (NCI), (http://www.nci.nih.gov/)
National Heart,
Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), (http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/index.htm)
National Human
Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), (http://www.nhgri.nih.gov/)
Institute on Aging (NIA), (http://www.nia.nih.gov/)
Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), (http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/)
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious
Diseases (NIAID), (http://www.niaid.nih.gov/)
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal
and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), (http://www.niams.nih.gov)
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), (http://www.nibib.nih.gov/)
National Institute of Child Health and Human
Development (NICHD), (http://www.nichd.nih.gov/)
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
(NIDCD), (http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/)
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial
Research (NIDCR), (http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/)
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and
Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), (http://www.niddk.nih.gov/)
Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), (http://www.nida.nih.gov/)
Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/)
Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), (http://www.nigms.nih.gov/)
Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), (http://www.nimh.nih.gov/)
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and
Stroke (NINDS), (http://www.ninds.nih.gov/)
Office Dietary
Supplements (ODS) (http://ods.od.nih.gov)
Title: Mentored Quantitative Research
Development Award (K25)
Announcement Type
This is a reissue of PA-06-087.
Update: The following updates relating to this announcement have been issued:
Announcement (PA) Number: PA-09-039
NOTICE: Applications
submitted in response to this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for
Federal assistance must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov) using the SF424
Research and Related (R&R) forms and the SF424 (R&R) Application
This FOA must be read in conjunction with the application guidelines included with this announcement in Grants.gov/Apply for Grants (hereafter called Grants.gov/Apply).
A registration process is necessary before submission and candidates are highly encouraged to start the process at least four (4) weeks prior to the grant submission date. See Section IV.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number(s)
93.866, 93.271, 93.855, 93.856, 93.846, 93.286, 93.394, 93.395, 93.396, 93.233, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839,
93.172, 93.865, 93.279, 93.173, 93.121, 93.847, 93.848, 93.849, 93.894,
93.859, 93.853, 93.281
Key Dates
Release/Posted Date: December 11, 2008
Opening Date: January 12, 2009 (Earliest
date an application may be submitted to Grants.gov.
Letters of Intent Receipt Date(s): See Section IV.
NOTE: On-time submission requires that
applications be successfully submitted to Grants.gov no later than 5:00 p.m.
local time (of the applicant institution/organization). Application Due Date(s): Standard dates apply, please see http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm
AIDS Application Due Date(s): Standard dates apply, please see http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm#AIDS.
Peer Review
Date(s): Standard dates apply, please see http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm#reviewandaward
Council Review
Date(s): Standard dates apply, please see http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm#reviewandaward
Anticipated Start Date(s): Standard dates apply, please see http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm#reviewandaward
Information To Be Available Date (URL Activation Date): Not Applicable.
Expiration Date: (New Expiration Date January 8, 2010 per issuance of PA-10-062) Old Date:January 8, 2012.
Due Dates for E.O. 12372
Not Applicable.
Overview Content
Executive Summary
The overall goal of NIH-supported career development programs is to help ensure that a diverse pool of highly trained scientists are available in adequate numbers and in appropriate research areas to address the Nation's biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research needs.
Table of Contents
Part I Overview
Part II Full Text of Announcement
Section I. Funding Opportunity
1. Research Career Objectives
Section II. Award Information
1. Mechanism of Support
2. Funds Available
Section III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants
A. Eligible Institutions
B. Eligible Individuals
2. Cost Sharing or Matching
3. Other-Special Eligibility Criteria
Section IV. Application and Submission
1. Request Application Information
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
3. Submission Dates and Times
A. Submission, Review, and
Anticipated Start Dates
1. Letter of Intent
B. Submitting an Application
Electronically to the NIH
C. Application Processing
4. Intergovernmental Review
5. Funding Restrictions
6. Other Submission Requirements
and Information
Section V. Application Review Information
1. Criteria
2. Review and Selection Process
A. Additional Review Criteria
B. Additional Review Considerations
C. Resource Sharing Plan(s)
3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates
Section VI. Award Administration
1. Award Notices
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
3. Reporting
Section VII. Agency Contacts
1. Scientific/Research Contact(s)
2. Peer Review Contact(s)
3. Financial/Grants Management Contact(s)
Section VIII. Other Information
- Required Federal Citations
Part II - Full Text of Announcement
Section I. Funding Opportunity Description
Research Career Objectives
The overall objective of the NIH Research Career
Development Award program is to prepare qualified individuals for careers that
have a significant impact on the health-related research needs of the Nation. A
particular area of research is often invigorated by novel perspectives that may
be provided by individuals trained outside that research arena. In an
effort to advance research relevant to the mission of the National Institutes
of Health (NIH), which includes basic biomedical, clinical biomedical,
bioengineering, bioimaging, and behavioral research, the participating
Institutes and Centers (ICs) solicit applications for the NIH Mentored
Quantitative Research Career Development Award (K25). The K25 mechanism
is meant to attract to NIH-relevant research those investigators whose
quantitative science and engineering research has thus far not been focused
primarily on questions of health and disease. Examples of quantitative
scientific and technical backgrounds considered appropriate for this award
include, but are not limited to: mathematics, statistics, economics, computer
science, imaging science, informatics, physics, chemistry, and engineering.
The NIH is especially interested in increasing the number of scientists trained to conduct high-quality research that combines insights derived from, and cuts across, different scientific, technical, and biomedical areas. Accordingly, the K25 award forms an important part of an initiative to attract talented individuals with highly-developed quantitative skills to the challenges of research relevant to the mission of NIH. The K25 award is intended to increase the availability of high-quality, multidisciplinary, didactic training and research project guidance, in the context of a mentored research career transition experience. Candidates interested in cross-disciplinary research will become well grounded in behavioral, biomedical, bioimaging, or bioengineering research. At the completion of the award, candidates should have both the knowledge and the skills necessary to compete for independent research support from NIH, or to participate as leading members of multi-disciplinary research teams.
The specific objectives of the K25 award are to:
Because of the focus on a progression toward independence as a quantitative biomedical, behavioral, bioimaging, or bioengineering researcher, the prospective candidate for the Mentored Quantitative Research Career Development Award will require enhanced skills in the experimental, theoretical and conceptual approaches used in biomedicine, behavioral science, bioimaging or bioengineering. To satisfy this requirement, the candidate should propose a period of study and career development that is complementary to his or her previous research and experience. For example, a candidate with no or very limited experience in a given field of biomedical research may find a phased developmental program lasting for five years that includes a designated period of didactic training together with a closely supervised research experience the most efficient means of attaining independence. A candidate with, for example, more research experience in biomedicine may benefit from a program with greater emphasis on appropriate laboratory research with lower levels of supervision and direction. All programs should be carefully tailored to meet the individual needs of the candidate and must include (an) active mentor(s) who is (are) competent and willing to provide the appropriate research guidance. Candidates should strongly consider incorporating into their training plan formal courses in relevant areas of biomedicine, behavioral science, bioimaging, or bioengineering; this program offers a unique opportunity to devote protected time to this activity.
Note: NIH Institutes and Centers have unique scientific purviews and different program goals and initiatives. Therefore, candidates are strongly encouraged to contact the NIH staff for IC-specific programmatic and budgetary information: Table of Institute and Center Contacts.
See Section VIII, Other Information - Required Federal
Citations, for policies related to this
II. Award Information
1. Mechanism of Support
This Funding
Opportunity Announcement (FOA) will use the NIH Mentored
Quantitative Research Development Award (K25) mechanism. The Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI)
(also referred to as the Candidate) and his/her mentor will be solely
responsible for planning, directing, and executing the proposed project.
This FOA uses Just-in-Time information concepts (see SF424 (R&R) Application Guide). It also uses non-modular budget format.
The candidate should follow the instructions for budget information described in Section IV (6.F) as well as in PHS 398 Career Development Award Supplemental form Section 7.4.6 of the R&R 424 instructions, and budget justification information.
The K25 project period may be for up to five years, with a minimum of three years required. The actual duration of the award will depend upon the number of years of prior research experience, the demonstrated need for additional mentored experience to achieve research independence, and the policy of the awarding Institute or Center (IC). Awards are not renewable and are not transferable from one PD/PI to another.
2. Funds Available
Because the nature and scope of the proposed K25 award program will vary from application to application and the amounts provided by the participating ICs are not uniform, it is anticipated that the size and duration of each award will also vary. Although the financial plans of the ICs provide support for this program, awards pursuant to this funding opportunity are contingent upon the availability of funds and the receipt of a sufficient number of meritorious applications.
2.A. Allowable Costs
Salary: The participating NIH Institutes and Centers will provide salary and fringe benefits for the K25 award recipient (see Table of Institute and Center Contacts). The total salary requested must be based on a full-time, 12-month staff appointment. The K25 requires the candidate to devote a minimum of 9 calendar months (75% of full-time professional effort) to conducting health-related research. The remaining effort may be devoted to clinical, teaching, or other research pursuits and activities consistent with the objectives of the award. For information regarding NIH policy on determining full-time professional effort for career awards, see NOT-OD-04-056.
The salary must be consistent both with the established salary structure at the institution and with salaries actually provided by the institution from its own funds to other staff members of equivalent qualifications, rank, and responsibilities in the department concerned. If full-time, 12-month salaries are not currently paid to comparable staff members, the salary proposed must be appropriately related to the existing salary structure. Confirmation of salary may be required prior to the issuance of an award. Fringe benefits, based on the sponsoring institution's rate and the percent of effort, are provided in addition to the salary.
The sponsoring institution may supplement the NIH salary contribution up to a level that is consistent with the institution's salary scale. However, supplementation may not be from Federal funds unless specifically authorized by the Federal program from which such funds are derived. In no case may PHS funds be used for salary supplementation. Institutional supplementation of salary must not require extra duties or responsibilities that would interfere with the purpose of the K25 award. Under expanded authorities, however, institutions may re-budget funds within the total costs awarded to cover salaries consistent with the institution's salary scale. The total salary, however, may not exceed the legislatively mandated salary cap. See NOT-OD-08-035.
K25 award recipients are encouraged to obtain funding from NIH or other Federal sources either as a named PD/PI on a competing research grant award or cooperative agreement or as sub-project director on a competing multi-project award (see NOT-OD-08-065). At the time the research grant is awarded the effort required on the K25 award may be reduced to no less than 6 person-months (50% full-time professional effort at the grantee organization) and replaced by effort from the research award so that the total level of research commitment remains at 9 person-months (75% full-time professional effort) or more for the duration of the K25 award. To be eligible for salary support from peer-reviewed research awards from any Federal agency:
Research Development Support: The participating NIH Institutes and Centers will provide research development support for the K25 award recipient (see Table of Institute and Center Contacts). These costs may be used for the following expenses: (a) tuition and fees related to career development; (b) research expenses, such as supplies, equipment and technical personnel; c) travel to research meetings or training; and (d) statistical services including personnel and computer time.
Ancillary Personnel Support: Salary for mentors, secretarial and administrative assistance, etc., is not allowed.
Indirect Costs: These costs also known as Facilities and Administrative (F&A) costs, will be reimbursed at eight percent (8%) of modified total direct costs.
NIH grants policies as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement will apply to the applications submitted and awards made in response to this FOA.
Section III. Eligibility Information
Eligible Applicants
1.A. Eligible Institutions
The following
organizations/institutions are eligible to apply:
Foreign institutions are not eligible to apply.
1.B. Eligible Individuals
Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the PD/PI is invited to work with his/her organization to develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply for NIH support.
Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI): Also referred to as the Candidate, individuals with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research and career development activities are invited to work with their mentor and sponsoring institution to develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds are always encouraged to apply for NIH support.
Citizenship and Residency: valid Permanent Resident Card (USCIS Form I-551), or some other verification of legal admission as a permanent resident prior to the time of award, are eligible for this award. Non-citizen nationals, although not U.S. citizens, owe permanent allegiance to the U.S. They are usually born in lands that are not states but are under U.S. sovereignty, jurisdiction, or administration. Individuals on temporary or student visas are not eligible.
Degree and Research: Candidates must have an advanced degree in a quantitative area of science or engineering (M.S.E.E., Ph.D., D.Sc., etc.) and have demonstrated research interests in their primary quantitative discipline. The candidate should have demonstrated professional accomplishments consonant with his or her career status, and should have demonstrated experience or interest in pursuing research (including research outside of biomedicine, behavior, bioimaging, or bioengineering). They must identify a mentor with extensive behavioral, biomedical, bioengineering, or bioimaging research experience. Candidates must commit at least 75% effort to research and research career development and the remainder of the effort to other career development activities consistent with the overall purpose of the award.
The award is intended for research-oriented investigators at any level of experience, from the postdoctoral level to senior faculty level, who have shown clear evidence of productivity and research excellence in the field of their training, and who would like to expand their research capability, with the goal of making significant contributions to behavioral, biomedical (basic or clinical), bioimaging or bioengineering research that is relevant to the NIH mission.
Level of Effort: Candidates must be able to commit a minimum of 9 calendar months (75% of full-time professional effort) conducting research career development activities associated with this award. The remaining 3 months (25% effort) can be divided among other research, clinical, and teaching activities only if these activities are consistent with the goals of the K25 Award, i.e., the candidate's development into an independent investigator. For information regarding NIH policy on determining full-time professional effort for career awards, see NOT-OD-04-056.
At the time of award, the candidate must have a full-time appointment at the academic institution that is the applicant institution. Candidates who have VA appointments may not consider part of the VA effort toward satisfying the full time requirement at the applicant institution. Candidates with VA appointments should contact the staff person in the relevant Institute or Center prior to preparing an application to discuss their eligibility.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching
This program does not require cost sharing as defined in the current NIH Grants Policy Statement.
3. Other-Special Eligibility Criteria
Number of Applications: Candidates may only have one individual Career Development Award application pending peer review at any time.
Resubmission(s): See new NIH policy on resubmission (amended) applications (NOT-OD-09-003, NOT-OD-09-016).
Renewals: Awards are not renewable and are not transferable from one PD/PI to another.
Former principal investigators on NIH research project (R01), program project (P01), center grants, FIRST Awards (R29), sub-projects of program project (P01) or center grants, K01, K08, K22 or K23 awards, or the equivalent are not eligible. Former principal investigators of an NIH Small Grant (R03), Exploratory/Developmental Grant (R21), or SBIR/STTR (R41, R42, R43, R44) remain eligible. A candidate for the Mentored Quantitative Research Career Development Award may not concurrently apply for any other PHS award that duplicates the provisions of this award nor have another application pending award. Mentored Quantitative Research Career Development Award recipients are strongly encouraged to apply for independent research grant support, either Federal or private, during the latter period of this K25 award.
3.A. Special Requirements
Mentor(s): The candidate must name a primary sponsor/mentor, who together with the candidate is responsible for the planning, direction, and execution of the program. Mentors may be employed in any sector of the biomedical research community (e.g., academia, industry, non-profit research institutions). The mentor should be recognized as an accomplished investigator in the proposed research area and have a track record of success in training independent investigators. The mentor should have sufficient independent research support to cover the costs of the proposed research project in excess of the allowable costs of this award. Candidates may also nominate co-mentors as appropriate to the goals of the program. Where feasible, women, individuals from diverse racial and ethnic groups, and individuals with disabilities should be involved as mentors to serve as role models.
Environment: The institution must have a strong, well-established research and biomedical, behavioral, or bioengineering career development program, or have demonstrable ties to such programs. For example, if the mentor is based in industry and the career development program requires didactic activities at a nearby university, access to such activities must be described. The institution must demonstrate a commitment to the development of the candidate as a productive investigator and be willing to allow the protected time needed by the candidate. The institution must also propose qualified faculty as mentors in the specific research area. It is anticipated that a K25 awardee will apply for independent funding during the latter period of this award, and that the sponsoring institution will provide the resources required for them to do so.
Candidates may have only one individual career development award application pending peer review at any time.
Section IV. Application and Submission Information
download a SF424 (R&R) Application Package and SF424 (R&R) Application
Guide for completing the SF424 (R&R) forms for this FOA, use the Apply for
Grant Electronically button in this FOA or link to http://www.grants.gov/Apply/ and follow
the directions provided on that Web site.
A one-time registration is required for institutions/organizations at both:
The PD/PI should work with their institutions/organizations to make sure they are registered in the NIH eRA Commons.
Several additional separate actions are required before an applicant can submit an electronic application, as follows:
1) Organizational/Institutional Registration in Grants.gov/Get Registered
2) Organizational/Institutional Registration in the eRA Commons
3) Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) Registration in the NIH eRA Commons: Refer to the NIH eRA Commons System (COM) Users Guide.
The PD/PI and AOR/SO need separate accounts in the NIH eRA Commons since both are authorized to view the application image.
Note: If a PD/PI is also an NIH peer-reviewer the DUNS number obtained and used in the reviewer role may NOT be used and is not applicable to any Grant Application to the Federal Government. This DUNS number is different from the DUNS number used by the applicant organization. The individual DUNS number should be used only for the purposes of personal reimbursement.
Several of the steps of the registration process could take four weeks or more. Therefore, the candidate should immediately check with his/her business official to determine whether their organization/institution is already registered in both Grants.gov and the Commons. The NIH will accept electronic applications only from organizations that have completed all necessary registrations.
1. Request Application Information
Applicants must download
the SF424 (R&R) application forms and the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide
for this FOA through Grants.gov/Apply.
Only the forms package directly attached to a specific FOA can be used. You
will not be able to use any other SF424 (R&R) forms (e.g., sample forms,
forms from another FOA), although some of the "Attachment" files may
be useable for more than one FOA.
For further assistance, contact GrantsInfo --
Telephone 301-710-0267, Email: email@example.com.
Telecommunications for the hearing impaired: TTY 301-451-5936.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
Prepare all applications using the SF424 (R&R) application forms and in accordance with the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide for this FOA through Grants.gov/Apply.
The SF424 (R&R) Application Guide is critical to submitting a complete and accurate application to NIH. Some fields within the SF424 (R&R) application components, although not marked as mandatory, are required by NIH (e.g., the Credential log-in field of the Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile component must contain the PD/PI's assigned eRA Commons User ID). Agency-specific instructions for such fields are clearly identified in the Application Guide. For additional information, see Frequently Asked Questions Application Guide, Electronic Submission of Grant Applications.
The SF424 (R&R) application has several components. Some components are required, others are optional. The forms package associated with this FOA in Grants.gov/APPLY includes all applicable components, required and optional. A completed application in response to this FOA includes the data in the following components:
Required Components:
SF424 (R&R) (Cover
Research & Related
Project/Performance Site Locations
Research & Related Other Project Information
Research & Related Senior/Key Person
SF424 (R&R) Detailed Budget
PHS398 Cover Letter
PHS398 Cover Page Supplement
PHS398 Career Development Award Supplemental Form
PHS398 Checklist
3. Submission Dates and Times
See Section IV.3.A. for details.
3.A. Submission, Review, and
Anticipated Start Dates
Date: January 12, 2009 (Earliest
date an application may be submitted to Grants.gov)
Letter of Intent Receipt Date(s): See below.
Application Due Date(s):
Standard dates apply, please see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm
AIDS Application Due Date(s): Standard dates apply,
please see http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm#AIDS
Peer Review
Date(s): Standard dates apply, please see http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm#reviewandaward
Council Review
Date(s): Standard dates apply, please see http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm#reviewandaward
Anticipated Start Date(s): Standard dates apply, please see http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm#reviewandaward
3.A.1. Letter of Intent
A letter of intent is not required for the funding opportunity.
Submitting an Application Electronically to the NIH
To submit an application in response to this
FOA, applicants should access this FOA via http://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply_for_grants.jsp and follow Steps 1-4. Note: Applications must only be submitted
electronically. PAPER APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
Application Processing
Applications may be submitted on or after the opening date and must be
successfully received by Grants.gov no later than 5:00 p.m. local time (of the applicant
institution/organization) on the application due date(s). (See above for all
dates.) If an application is not
submitted by the due date(s) and time, the application may be delayed in the
review process or not reviewed.
Once an application package has been successfully submitted through Grants.gov, any errors have been addressed, and the assembled application has been created in the eRA Commons, the PD/PI and the Authorized Organization Representative/Signing Official (AOR/SO) have two weekdays (Monday Friday, excluding Federal holidays) to view the application image to determine if any further action is necessary.
receipt, applications will be evaluated for completeness by the Center for
Scientific Review, NIH. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
There will
be an acknowledgement of receipt of applications from Grants.gov and the Commons. The submitting AOR/SO
receives the Grants.gov acknowledgments. The AOR/SO and the PD/PI receive Commons acknowledgments. Information related to the assignment of an application to a Scientific
Review Group is also in the Commons.
Note: Since email can be unreliable, it is the responsibility of the applicant to check periodically on their application status in the Commons.
The NIH will not accept any application in response to this FOA that is essentially the same as one currently pending initial merit review unless the applicant withdraws the pending application. The NIH will not accept any application that is essentially the same as one already reviewed. However, the NIH will accept resubmission(s) application, but such application must include an Introduction addressing the critique from the previous review.
4. Intergovernmental Review
This initiative is not
subject to intergovernmental review.
Funding Restrictions
All NIH awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
Citizenship: Candidates must meet the citizenship requirements as described in the Eligibility section of this announcement (see Section III) at the time of award.
Concurrent Awards: Candidate must be aware of the NIH policies associated with other federally sponsored support (see: NOT-OD-08-065).
Salary Support: The salary requested for the candidate must be consistent with both the established salary structure for full-time staff appointments and with salaries actually provided by the institution from its own funds to other staff members of equivalent qualifications, rank, and responsibilities in the applicable department.
NIH policy allows NIH mentored career development award recipients in the final two years of their award to receive salary support from both their K award and a research grant from any Federal agency (see NOT-OD-08-065). The K-award recipient must be a named PD/PI of a competing research project grant (R01, R03, R15, R21, R34, etc.), or be the sub-project director on a competing multi-component research or center grant or cooperative agreement (P01, P50, U01, etc.). See the Notice for full details.
Research Development Support: The research development support costs allowed for this program must be justified and be consistent with the stage of development of the candidate and the proportion of time to be spent in research or career development activities. Salary for ancillary personnel support, such as mentors, secretarial and administrative assistants is not allowed.
Costs: Pre-award costs are
allowable. A grantee may, at its own risk and without NIH prior approval, incur
obligations and expenditures to cover costs up to 90 days before the beginning
date of the initial budget period if such costs: 1) are necessary to conduct
the project, and 2) would be allowable under the grant, if awarded, without NIH
prior approval. If specific expenditures would otherwise require prior
approval, the grantee must obtain NIH approval before incurring the cost. NIH
prior approval is required for any costs to be incurred more than 90 days
before the beginning date of the initial budget period. .
The incurrence
of pre-award costs in anticipation of a competing or non-competing award
imposes no obligation on NIH either to make the award or to increase the amount
of the approved budget if an award is made for less than the amount anticipated
and is inadequate to cover the pre-award costs incurred. NIH expects the
grantee to be fully aware that pre-award costs result in borrowing against
future support and that such borrowing must not impair the grantee's ability to
accomplish the project objectives in the approved time frame or in any way
adversely affect the conduct of the project. See NIH Grants Policy Statement NIH Grants
Policy Statement.
6. Other Submission Requirements and Information
All application instructions outlined in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide are to be followed, incorporating "Just-in-Time" information concepts, and with the following additional requirements (see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/424/index.htm):
PD/PI Credential (e.g., Agency Login): The NIH requires the PD/PI to fill in his/her Commons User ID in the PROFILE Project Director/Principal Investigator section, Credential log-in field of the Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile component.
Organizational DUNS: The applicant organization must include its DUNS number in its Organization Profile in the eRA Commons. This DUNS number must match the DUNS number provided at CCR registration with Grants.gov. For additional information, see Frequently Asked Questions Application Guide, Electronic Submission of Grant Applications.
Cover Letter: The PHS398 cover letter must include the list of referees (including name, department affiliation, and institution.
The following information must be included in the application in accordance with the Supplementary Instructions for Research Career Awards in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide (See Part I.7.5).
PHS 398 Career Development Award Supplemental Form Component Sections: Items 2-5 (Candidate Information) and 10-13 (Research Plan) are limited to a total of 25 pages. While each section of the Candidate Information and Research Plan components needs to be uploaded separately as a PDF attachment, applicants are encouraged to construct the Candidate Information component and the Research Plan component as a single document, separating sections into distinct PDF attachments just before uploading the files. This approach will enable applicants to better monitor formatting requirements such as page limits. All attachments must be provided to NIH in PDF format, filenames must be included with no spaces or special characters, and a .pdf extension must be used.
Appendix Materials: Candidates must follow the specific instructions on Appendix materials as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide (See http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/424/index.htm). Do not use the Appendix to circumvent the page limitations of the Research Plan component. An application that does not comply with the required page limitations may be delayed in the review process.
6.A. Candidate Information and Career Development Plan
Candidate's Background:
Career Goals and Objectives:
Career Development/Training Activities:
Training in the Responsible Conduct of Research:
6.B. Research Plan
The research plan should follow instructions outlined in PHS 398 Career Development Award Supplemental form, including sections on Specific Aims, Background and Significance, Preliminary Studies/Progress Report, Research Design and Methods. The candidate should consult with the mentor(s) regarding the development of this section.
6.C. Statement of Support
Statement by Mentor, Co-Mentors, Consultants, Contributors (All statements/letters should be appended to each other and uploaded as a single pdf document):
6.D. Environment and Institutional Commitment to the Candidate
Description of Institutional Environment:
Institutional Commitment to Candidate's Research Career Development:
6.E. Letters of Reference
Electronic submission of reference letters is a separate process from submitting an application electronically. Reference letters are submitted directly through the eRA Commons and do not use Grants.gov. Therefore, candidates must follow the Supplemental Instructions in the SF424 R&R Application Guide for Research Career Awards (Instructions, Part 7.3) (see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/424/index.htm).
Letters of reference are an important component of the application for the mentored career award. Candidates for this career award must arrange to have at least three (but no more than five) letters of reference submitted on their behalf to the NIH eRA Commons Web site at https://public.era.nih.gov/commons/public/reference/submitReferenceLetter.do?mode=new. The letters should be from well-established scientists (referees) addressing the qualities of the candidate as well as their potential for becoming an independent investigator. These letters should be from individuals not directly involved in the application, but who are familiar with the candidate's qualifications, training, and interests, including advisory committee members (if applicable).
The mentor/co-mentor(s) may also submit letters of reference, but these letters will be considered independently of the three required reference letters. Resubmission applications must include new letters of reference.
Applications that are missing the required letters of reference may be delayed in the review process or not accepted.
6.F. Budget for the Entire Proposed Period of Support
Allowable costs for this career award program are not uniform throughout the participating Institutes and Centers; therefore the salary amounts as well as the research development costs vary. See: Table of Institute and Center Contacts.
Budget Component (Section 4.7): Use the SF424 (R&R) Detailed Budget component and review the instructions found in Part I.4.7(R&R Budget Component) of the Application Guide. However for K applications only limited budget information is required; therefore, candidates will also need to follow the special instructions in Part I.7.4 of the SF 424 (R&R) [Supplemental Instructions for Career Development Awards], noting the special instructions that modify Section 4.7. In budget section A (Senior/Key Persons) include base salary, person months and requested salary and fringe benefit information for only the candidate. Base salary, and requested salary and fringe benefits should reflect actual levels. Any adjustments based on IC policy limits will be made at the time of the award. Sections B-E should be left blank. If a dollar amount is required, enter 0 (zero) in the appropriate box. The total Research Development Support amount requested for each year will be entered in Section F, Materials and Supplies. In Section H enter Modified Total Direct Costs under Indirect Cost Type. The Indirect Cost rate is 8% of modified total direct cost. The Indirect Cost amount should be entered under Funds Requested. Totals for Sections F, G, and H will be calculated automatically for each year as well as for the Cumulative Budget. Within the direct cost limitation for research development support, provide a detailed description with justification for all equipment, supplies and personnel that will be used to help achieve the career development and research objectives of this award.
6.G. Resource Sharing Plan(s)
NIH considers the sharing of unique research resources developed through NIH-sponsored research an important means to enhance the value and further the advancement of the research. When resources have been developed with NIH funds and the associated research findings published or provided to NIH, it is important that they be made readily available for research purposes to qualified individuals within the scientific community. If the final data/resources are not amenable to sharing, this must be explained in the Resource Sharing section of the application (see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/data_sharing/data_sharing_faqs.htm.)
(a) Data Sharing Plan: Not Applicable.
(b) Sharing Model Organisms: Regardless of the amount requested, all applications in which the development of model organisms is anticipated are expected to include a description of a specific plan for sharing and distributing unique model organisms and related resources, or state appropriate reasons why such sharing is restricted or not possible (see Sharing Model Organisms Policy, and NIH Guide NOT-OD-04-042.)
(c) Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS): Regardless of the amount requested, candidates seeking funding for a genome-wide association study are expected to provide a plan for submission of GWAS data to the NIH-designated GWAS data repository, or provide an appropriate explanation why submission to the repository is not possible. A genome-wide association study is defined as any study of genetic variation across the entire genome that is designed to identify genetic associations with observable traits (e.g., blood pressure or weight) or the presence or absence of a disease or condition. For further information see Policy for Sharing of Data Obtained in NIH Supported or Conducted Genome-Wide Association Studies (NOT-OD-07-088) and http://grants.nih.gov/grants/gwas/.
Section V. Application Review Information
1. Criteria
Only the review criteria described below will be considered in the review process.
Review and Selection Process
submitted for this funding opportunity will be assigned on the basis of
established PHS referral guidelines to the ICs for funding consideration.
Applications that are complete will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by (an) appropriate scientific review group(s) in accordance with NIH peer review procedures (http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/peer/) using the review criteria stated below.
As part of the scientific peer review, all applications will:
Applications submitted in response to this funding opportunity will compete for available funds with all other recommended applications. The following will be considered in making funding decisions:
Review Criteria
The overall goal of NIH-supported career development programs is to help ensure that diverse pools of highly trained scientists are available in adequate numbers and in appropriate research areas to address the Nation's biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research needs. The scientific review group will address and consider each of these criteria in assigning the application's overall score, weighting them as appropriate for each application. Reviewers recognize that an individual with limited research experience is less likely to be able to prepare a research plan with the breadth and depth of that submitted by a more experienced investigator. Although it is understood that K25 applications do not require the level of detail necessary in regular research grant applications, a fundamentally sound research plan must be provided. In general, less detail is expected with regard to research planned for the later years of the award, but the application should outline the general goals for these years.
The application does not need to be strong in all categories to receive a high priority score. These criteria are listed in logical order and not in order of priority.
Career Development Plan:
Research Plan:
Mentor(s), Consultant(s), Collaborator(s):
Environment and Institutional Commitment to the Candidate:
2.A. Additional Review Criteria
In addition to
the above criteria, the following items will be considered in the determination
of scientific merit and the rating:
Training in the responsible conduct of research: Does the application include appropriate and adequate plans for training in the responsible conduct of research?
Resubmission(s): Are the responses to comments from the previous scientific review group adequate? Are the improvements in the resubmission application appropriate?
Protection of Human Subjects from Research Risk: The involvement of human
subjects and protections from research risk relating to their participation in
the proposed research will be assessed. See the Human Subjects Sections of
the PHS398 Research Plan component of the SF424 (R&R), part I, 5.5.
Inclusion of Women, Minorities and Children in Research: The adequacy of
plans to include subjects from both genders, all racial and ethnic groups (and
subgroups), and children as appropriate for the scientific goals of the
research will be assessed. Plans for the recruitment and retention of subjects
will also be evaluated. See the Human Subjects Sections of the PHS398
Research Plan component of the SF424 (R&R) part I, 5.5.
Care and Use of Vertebrate Animals in Research: If vertebrate animals are to be used in the project, the adequacy of the plans for their care and use will be assessed. See the Other Research Plan Sections of the PHS398 Research Plan component of the SF424 (R&R), part I, 5.5.
Biohazards: If materials or procedures are proposed that are potentially hazardous to research personnel and/or the environment, determine if the proposed protection is adequate.
2.B. Additional Review
Budget and Period of Support: Is the proposed budget and period of support
appropriate in relation to the proposed research and the career development
needs of the candidate? The priority score should not be affected by the
evaluation of the budget.
2.C. Resource Sharing Plans
When relevant, reviewers will be instructed to comment on the reasonableness of the following Resource Sharing Plans, or the rationale for not sharing the following types of resources. However, reviewers will not factor the proposed resource sharing plan(s) into the determination of scientific merit or priority score, unless noted otherwise in the FOA. Program staff within the IC will be responsible for monitoring the resource sharing.
3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates
VI. Award Administration Information
Award Notices
After the peer review of the application
is completed, the PD/PI will be able to access his or her Summary Statement
(written critique) via the NIH eRA Commons.
the application is under consideration for funding, NIH will request
"just-in-time" information from the candidate. JIT includes, but is
not limited to, updated salary information and confirmation, current Other
Support as well as Human Subjects and Animal certifications. Activation of the
JIT link in the eRA Commons is not an indication of a request for Just in Time
information. The applicant organization will be contacted by NIH grants
administration staff if this information is required. For details, applicants
may refer to the NIH Grants Policy Statement Part II: Terms and
Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart A: General.
A formal notification
in the form of a Notice of Award (NoA) will be provided to the applicant
organization. The NoA signed by the grants management officer is the
authorizing document. Once all administrative and programmatic issues have been
resolved, the NoA will be generated via email notification from the awarding
component to the grantee business official.
Selection of an
application for award is not an authorization to begin performance. Any costs
incurred before receipt of the NoA are at the recipient's risk. These costs may
be reimbursed only to the extent considered allowable pre-award costs. See Section IV.5 Funding Restrictions.
Administrative and National Policy Requirements
All NIH grant
and cooperative agreement awards include the NIH Grants Policy Statement as part of the NoA. For these terms of award, see the NIH
Grants Policy Statement Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards,
Subpart A: General and Part
II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart B: Terms and Conditions
for Specific Types of Grants, Grantees, and Activities.
The following related administrative policies apply to NIH Research Career Award ( K ) programs:
A. Evaluation: In carrying out its stewardship of human resource-related programs, the NIH may request information essential to an assessment of the effectiveness of this program. Accordingly, recipients are hereby notified that they may be contacted after the completion of this award for periodic updates on various aspects of their employment history, publications, support from research grants or contracts, honors and awards, professional activities, and other information helpful in evaluating the impact of the program.
B. Other Income: Awardees may retain royalties and fees for activities such as scholarly writing, service on advisory groups, honoraria from other institutions for lectures or seminars, fees resulting from clinical practice, professional consultation or other comparable activities, provided these activities remain incidental, are not required by the research and research-related activities of this award, and provided that the retention of such pay is consistent with the policies and practices of the grantee institution.
All other income and fees, not included in the preceding paragraph as retainable, may not be retained by the career award recipient. Such fees must be assigned to the grantee institution for disposition by any of the following methods:
Usually, funds budgeted in an NIH supported research grant for the salaries or fringe benefits of individuals, but freed as a result of a career award, may not be rebudgeted. The awarding component will give consideration to approval for the use of released funds only under unusual circumstances. Any proposed retention of funds released as a result of a career award must receive prior written approval of the NIH awarding component.
C. Leave Policies: Leave to another institution, including a foreign laboratory, may be permitted if the proposed experience is directly related to the purpose of the award. Only local institutional approval is required if such leave does not exceed 3 months. For longer periods, prior written approval of the NIH funding component is required. Details on the process for submission of prior approval requests can be founds in the NIHGPS (rev. 12/03), Requests for Prior Approval, at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/NIHGPS_Part7.htm#_Toc54600130.
A copy of a letter or other evidence from the institution where the leave is to be taken must be submitted to assure that satisfactory arrangements have been made. Support from the career award will continue during such leave.
Leave without award support may not exceed 12 months. Such leave requires the prior written approval of the NIH component Institute or Center and will be granted only in unusual situations.
Support from other sources is permissible during the period of leave without award support. Such leave does not reduce the total number of months of program support for which an individual is eligible.
D. Percent Effort Policies: Under certain circumstances, an awardee may submit a written request to the awarding component requesting a reduction in professional effort below 75 percent (equivalent to 9 person months). Such requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis during the award period. In no case will it be permissible to work at less than 50 percent effort (equivalent to 6 person months). The nature of the circumstances requiring a change in the appointment status or percent effort might include personal or family situations such as parental leave, child care, elder care, medical conditions, or a disability. Permission to reduce the level of effort will not be approved to accommodate job opportunities, clinical practice, or clinical training. In each situation, the grantee institution must submit documentation supporting the need for reduced effort along with assurance of a continuing commitment to the scientific development of the awardee. In addition, the awardee must submit assurance of his/her intention to return to at least 75 percent effort as soon as possible. During the period of reduced effort, the salary and other costs supported by the award will be reduced accordingly.
E. Changes in Research or Career Development Program: Consultation with the applicable NIH funding Institute or Center Program staff is strongly encouraged when a change in the approved career development program and/or research plan is being considered. See: Table of Institute and Center Contacts.
Individual awards are made for career development at a specific institution in a specific research program. A change in the specified scientific area of the research component of the career development program requires prior approval of the awarding NIH Institute or Center. A scientific rationale must be provided for any proposed changes in the aims of the original peer-reviewed research plan. The new research plan will be evaluated by staff of the awarding NIH component institute to ensure that the plan remains within the scope of the original peer-reviewed research program. If the new plan does not satisfy this requirement, staff could recommend that the award be terminated.
In rare cases where a mentor must be replaced, the institution must submit a letter from the proposed mentor and awardee documenting the need for substitution, the new mentor's qualifications for supervising the program, and the level of support for the PD/PI's continued career development. The letter must also document that the specific aims of the research program will remain within the scope of the original peer reviewed research program. Staff within the NIH funding component will review the request and will notify the institution of the results of the evaluation.
F. Change of Institution or Termination: Consultation with the applicable NIH funding Institute or Center program and/or grants management staff is strongly encouraged when either termination or a change of institution is being considered. See: Table of Institute and Center Contacts.
A change of grantee institution normally will be permitted only when all of the benefits attributable to the original grant can be transferred, including equipment purchased in whole or in part with grant funds. In reviewing a request to transfer a grant, NIH will consider whether there is a continued need for the grant-supported project or activity and the impact of any proposed changes in the scope of the project. A change may be made without peer review, provided the PD/PI plans no significant change in research and career development objectives and the facilities and resources at the new organization will allow for successful performance of the project. If these conditions or other programmatic or administrative requirements are not met, the NIH awarding office may require peer review or may disapprove the request and, if appropriate, terminate the award.
If the K awardee is moving to another eligible institution, career award support may be continued provided:
When a grantee institution plans to terminate an award, the Grants Management Specialist listed on the Notice of Award (NoA) must be notified in writing at the earliest possible time so that appropriate instructions can be given for termination. The Director of the NIH awarding component may terminate an award upon determination that the purpose or terms of the award are not being fulfilled. In the event an award is terminated, NIH shall notify the grantee institution in writing of this determination, the reasons, the effective date, and the right to appeal the decision.
Awardees will be required to submit the Non-Competing Grant Progress Report (PHS 2590) annually and financial statements as required in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. (Note that the instructions for Research Career Development applications must be followed for this program).
The Progress Report must include Sections (A) through (F) as described in Section 2.2.6 (Progress Report Summary) in the general PHS form 2590 instructions, as well as sections G through J as described in Section 5 of the 2590 instructions. Evaluation of the awardee's progress will encompass the following:
A final progress report, invention statement, and
Financial Status Report are required when an award is relinquished, when a
recipient changes institutions, or when an award is terminated.
Section VII. Agency Contacts
We encourage your inquiries concerning this funding opportunity and welcome the opportunity to answer questions from potential candidates. Inquiries may fall into three areas: scientific/research (program), peer review, and financial or grants management issues:
1. Scientific/Research Contact(s):
Candidates should refer to the NIH Web site (Table of Institute and Center Contacts) for information regarding each IC's scientific/research contact for this program.
2. Peer Review Contact(s):
Not Applicable.
3. Financial/Grants Management Contact(s):
Candidates should refer to the NIH Web site (Table of Institute and Center Contacts) for information regarding each IC's grants management contact for this program.
Section VIII. Other Information
Required Federal Citations
Use of Animals in Research: Recipients of PHS support for activities involving live, vertebrate animals must comply with PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/references/PHSPolicyLabAnimals.pdf) as mandated by the Health Research Extension Act of 1985 (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/references/hrea1985.htm), and the USDA Animal Welfare Regulations (http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/legislat/usdaleg1.htm) as applicable.
Human Subjects Protection: Federal regulations (45 CFR 46) require that applications and proposals involving human subjects must be evaluated with reference to the risks to the subjects, the adequacy of protection against these risks, the potential benefits of the research to the subjects and others, and the importance of the knowledge gained or to be gained (http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/humansubjects/guidance/45cfr46.htm).
Data and Safety Monitoring Plan: Data and safety monitoring is required for all types of clinical trials, including physiologic toxicity and dose-finding studies (Phase I); efficacy studies (Phase II); efficacy, effectiveness and comparative trials (Phase III). Monitoring should be commensurate with risk. The establishment of data and safety monitoring boards (DSMBs) is required for multi-site clinical trials involving interventions that entail potential risks to the participants ( NIH Policy for Data and Safety Monitoring, NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not98-084.html).
Sharing Research Data: Investigators submitting an NIH application seeking $500,000 or more in direct costs in any single year are expected to include a plan for data sharing or state why this is not possible (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/data_sharing). Investigators should seek guidance from their institutions, on issues related to institutional policies and local institutional review board (IRB) rules, as well as local, State and Federal laws and regulations, including the Privacy Rule. Reviewers will consider the data sharing plan but will not factor the plan into the determination of the scientific merit or the priority score.
Policy for Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS): NIH is interested in advancing genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to identify common genetic factors that influence health and disease through a centralized GWAS data repository. For the purposes of this policy, a genome-wide association study is defined as any study of genetic variation across the entire human genome that is designed to identify genetic associations with observable traits (such as blood pressure or weight), or the presence or absence of a disease or condition. All applications, regardless of the amount requested, proposing a genome-wide association study are expected to provide a plan for submission of GWAS data to the NIH-designated GWAS data repository, or provide an appropriate explanation why submission to the repository is not possible. Data repository management (submission and access) is governed by the Policy for Sharing of Data Obtained in NIH Supported or Conducted Genome-Wide Association Studies, NIH Guide NOT-OD-07-088. For additional information, see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/gwas/.
Sharing of Model Organisms: NIH is committed to support efforts that encourage sharing of important research resources including the sharing of model organisms for biomedical research (see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/model_organism/index.htm). At the same time the NIH recognizes the rights of grantees and contractors to elect and retain title to subject inventions developed with Federal funding pursuant to the Bayh-Dole Act (see the NIH Grants Policy Statement. Beginning October 1, 2004, all investigators submitting an NIH application or contract proposal are expected to include in the application/proposal a description of a specific plan for sharing and distributing unique model organism research resources generated using NIH funding or state why such sharing is restricted or not possible. This will permit other researchers to benefit from the resources developed with public funding. The inclusion of a model organism sharing plan is not subject to a cost threshold in any year and is expected to be included in all applications where the development of model organisms is anticipated.
Access to Research Data through the Freedom of Information Act: The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-110 has been revised to provide access to research data through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) under some circumstances. Data that are: (1) first produced in a project that is supported in whole or in part with Federal funds; and (2) cited publicly and officially by a Federal agency in support of an action that has the force and effect of law (i.e., a regulation) may be accessed through FOIA. It is important for applicants to understand the basic scope of this amendment. NIH has provided guidance at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/a110/a110_guidance_dec1999.htm. Applicants may wish to place data collected under this funding opportunity in a public archive, which can provide protections for the data and manage the distribution for an indefinite period of time. If so, the application should include a description of the archiving plan in the study design and include information about this in the budget justification section of the application. In addition, applicants should think about how to structure informed consent statements and other human subjects procedures given the potential for wider use of data collected under this award.
Inclusion of Women And Minorities in Clinical Research: It is the policy of the NIH that women and members of minority groups and their sub-populations must be included in all NIH-supported clinical research projects unless a clear and compelling justification is provided indicating that inclusion is inappropriate with respect to the health of the subjects or the purpose of the research. This policy results from the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 (Section 492B of Public Law 103-43). All investigators proposing clinical research should read the "NIH Guidelines for Inclusion of Women and Minorities as Subjects in Clinical Research (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-02-001.html); a complete copy of the updated Guidelines is available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/women_min/guidelines_amended_10_2001.htm. The amended policy incorporates: the use of an NIH definition of clinical research; updated racial and ethnic categories in compliance with the new OMB standards; clarification of language governing NIH-defined Phase III clinical trials consistent with the SF424 (R&R) application; and updated roles and responsibilities of NIH staff and the extramural community. The policy continues to require for all NIH-defined Phase III clinical trials that: a) all applications or proposals and/or protocols must provide a description of plans to conduct analyses, as appropriate, to address differences by sex/gender and/or racial/ethnic groups, including subgroups if applicable; and b) investigators must report annual accrual and progress in conducting analyses, as appropriate, by sex/gender and/or racial/ethnic group differences.
Inclusion of Children as Participants in Clinical
Research: The NIH maintains a policy that children (i.e., individuals
under the age of 21) must be included in all clinical research, conducted or
supported by the NIH, unless there are scientific and ethical reasons not to
include them.
All investigators proposing research involving human
subjects should read the "NIH Policy and Guidelines" on the inclusion
of children as participants in research involving human subjects (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/children/children.htm).
Required Education on the Protection of Human Subject Participants: NIH policy requires education on the protection of human subject participants for all investigators submitting NIH applications for research involving human subjects and individuals designated as key personnel. The policy is available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-00-039.html.
Human Embryonic Stem Cells (hESC): Criteria for Federal funding of research on hESCs can be found at http://stemcells.nih.gov/index.asp and at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-02-005.html. Only research using hESC lines that are registered in the NIH Human Embryonic Stem Cell Registry will be eligible for Federal funding (http://escr.nih.gov/). It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide in the project description and elsewhere in the application as appropriate, the official NIH identifier(s) for the hESC line(s) to be used in the proposed research. Applications that do not provide this information will be returned without review.
NIH Public Access Policy Requirement: In accordance with the NIH Public Access Policy, investigators funded by the NIH must submit or have submitted for them to the National Library of Medicine's PubMed Central (see http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/), an electronic version of their final, peer-reviewed manuscripts upon acceptance for publication, to be made publicly available no later than 12 months after the official date of publication. The NIH Public Access Policy is available at (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-08-033.html). For more information, see the Public Access webpage at http://publicaccess.nih.gov/.
Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable
Health Information: The Department of Health and
Human Services (HHS) issued final modification to the "Standards for
Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information", the
"Privacy Rule", on August 14, 2002. The Privacy Rule is a federal
regulation under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
(HIPAA) of 1996 that governs the protection of individually identifiable health
information, and is administered and enforced by the HHS Office for Civil Rights
Decisions about
applicability and implementation of the Privacy Rule reside with the researcher
and his/her institution. The OCR website (http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/)
provides information on the Privacy Rule, including a complete Regulation Text
and a set of decision tools on "Am I a covered entity?" Information
on the impact of the HIPAA Privacy Rule on NIH processes involving the review,
funding, and progress monitoring of grants, cooperative agreements, and
research contracts can be found at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-03-025.html.
URLs in NIH Grant Applications or Appendices: All applications and proposals for NIH funding must be self-contained within specified page limitations. For publications listed in the appendix and/or Progress report, Internet addresses (URLs) or PubMed Central (PMC) submission identification numbers must be used for publicly accessible on-line journal articles. Publicly accessible on-line journal articles or PMC articles/manuscripts accepted for publication that are directly relevant to the project may be included only as URLs or PMC submission identification numbers accompanying the full reference in either the Bibliography & References Cited section, the Progress Report Publication List section, or the Biographical Sketch section of the NIH grant application. A URL or PMC submission identification number citation may be repeated in each of these sections as appropriate. There is no limit to the number of URLs or PMC submission identification numbers that can be cited.
Healthy People 2010: The Public Health Service
(PHS) is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease prevention
objectives of "Healthy People 2010," a PHS-led national activity for
setting priority areas. This FOA is related to one or more of the priority
areas. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People
2010" at http://www.health.gov/healthypeople.
Authority and
Regulations: This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance at http://www.cfda.gov/ and is not subject to the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order
12372. Awards are made under the authorization of Sections 301 and 405 of the
Public Health Service Act as amended (42 USC 241 and 284) and under Federal
Regulations 42 CFR Part 52 and 45 CFR Parts 74 and
92. All awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other
considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
The PHS strongly
encourages all grant recipients to provide a smoke-free workplace and
discourage the use of all tobacco products. In addition, Public Law 103-227,
the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits smoking in certain facilities (or in
some cases, any portion of a facility) in which regular or routine education,
library, day care, health care, or early childhood development services are
provided to children. This is consistent with the PHS mission to protect and
advance the physical and mental health of the American people.
Loan Repayment
Programs: NIH encourages applications
for educational loan repayment from qualified health professionals who have
made a commitment to pursue a research career involving clinical, pediatric,
contraception, infertility, and health disparities related areas. The LRP is an
important component of NIH's efforts to recruit and retain the next generation
of researchers by providing the means for developing a research career
unfettered by the burden of student loan debt. Note that an NIH grant is not
required for eligibility and concurrent career award and LRP applications are
encouraged. The periods of career award and LRP award may overlap providing the
LRP recipient with the required commitment of time and effort, as LRP awardees
must commit at least 50% of their time (at least 20 hours per week based on a
40 hour week) for two years to the research. For further information, please
see: http://www.lrp.nih.gov/.
Weekly TOC for this Announcement
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices
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text:
IF THIS NEWLY translated book had been written by a hard-core activist it might have been dismissed as a polemic from the fringe, but French journalist Hervé Kempf is environmental editor of Le Monde. He is an enormously well-respected commentator. So it is disturbing to find the state of the world rendered so starkly in this vitally important book. At times it had me grasping for reasons to continue living, so gloomy was its overview.
Kempf's thesis is admirably presented, building up its case gradually. First, the most important links are established. Initially he is on familiar ground – I imagine that most people reading the book will be aware of the potential for catastrophic feedback loops causing runaway climate change. These nightmare scenarios, once considered the ground of science fiction, are now accepted science.
The case continues to build: land use increases disproportionately to population; rubbish fills the oceans; toxic chemicals concentrate in the food chain. We have become fixated on climate change, but it is not the totality of the crisis we face. Everything is linked. I guess we knew that too, but few want to dwell on what it means.
There is no dichotomy: social and environmental problems are simply manifestations of the same thing. If we attempt to tackle one without the other, we are doomed to failure.
This is all building towards one of the most important ideas in the book. Again, I think it is one that many of us feel, but few have articulated so well. The link between social and environmental problems becomes clear, yet there is no coherent challenge to the crises. Socialism is based on materialism and lacks ecological awareness and ecologists have to... well, I leave it to Kempf: "Naïve comrades, there are evil men on Earth. If one wants to be an ecologist, one must stop being a half-wit." No-one could accuse Kempf of trying to curry favour! It is the "evil men" who are happy for environmentalists to argue that we are 'all in the same boat'. What is ignored is that the rich have life rafts.
Kempf predicts much of the recent turmoil in the banking system. And he does so with a caustic turn of phrase. "Like a junkie who can stay standing only by shooting more heroin, the United States, doped-up on hyper-consumption, staggers before it drops." Highly prescient then, he sees the system as clearly unsustainable.
It feels like a long time ago, but in the early 1990s I remember confronting an international advocate of 'sustainable development' – and getting him to admit that it was obviously impossible. Well, it is pleasing to see Kempf tackle it with customary zest. He describes it as "a semantic weapon used to shove aside the dirty word, 'ecology'".
The key argument, though, is less intellectual and more prosaic – in fact Kempf has given new life to the line from the late Utah Phillips, "The Earth is not dying, it is being killed, and those who are killing it have names and addresses." He identifies those responsible and demands that they be challenged.
The damage caused by the rich is not simply a matter of their hyper-consumption. If that were all, then we would not be in such a state. Referring to the economist Thorstein Veblen's writings of 1899, Kempf expounds the theory that the problem of the rich comes from the human desire to emulate those we see as better off than ourselves. We look up the consumptive strata and identify with those just out of reach – and spend our lives striving to be like them. Keeping up with the Joneses takes on a totally new dimension.
Kempf has done a wonderful job of forcing the environmental movement to grow up. A healthy, though at times rather depressing, dose of political theory is the key to that. For example, he tackles the persistent worship of growth, despite it being obviously unsustainable. Why is it not challenged? "Because the pursuit of material growth is the oligarchy's only means of getting societies to accept extreme inequalities without questioning them."
Perhaps surprisingly, this book is not without hope. It is just that the hope is quite small. Kempf hopes that the political left will be reborn "uniting the causes of inequality and the environment…" It would be fascinating to hear what he makes of the current shifts in economics and politics – would he draw comfort from Obama and the credit crunch? Perhaps there truly is hope and perhaps Kempf is right: that "the desire to remake the world is being reborn." •
Hugh Warwick is the author of A Prickly Affair: My Life with Hedgehogs, published by Allen Lane.

subset: commoncrawl


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Join our Lenten Campaign 2024.
A researcher at Washington D.C.'s Georgetown University has found that impoverished women in India are more likely to improve their economic circumstances after converting to Christianity.
"Conversion actually helps launch women on a virtuous circle. A woman feels better, she's part of an active faith community, she works more, she earns more money: the extra money she earns and saves encourages her to earn more and save more and plan and invest in the future," said Rebecca Samuel Shah, research fellow at Georgetown's Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs.
Shah presented her initial findings of a pilot study looking at "patterns and directions where conversion had an impact" on Dalit women in Bangalore, India at a conference on "Christianity and Freedom" held in Rome on Dec. 13-14.
Shah and her team studied 300 women who lived in a Dalit slum community over the course of 3 years. When they began their research, they did not know that 23 percent of the women being interviewed were actually converts to Christianity.
Dalits are considered the "outcasts" of or "pariahs" of society in India.
"One is actually born a Dalit, you cannot leave a Dalit status. You're born and you live and you die a Dalit," Shah explained. "Dalits are employed in the some of the worst jobs…they scavenge, they sweep, they're tanners. They do the smelliest, dirtiest work, and therefore they 'polute'… they're 'untouchables.'"
Moreover, "Dalits are not allowed to go near a (Hindu) temple, or touch a religious object that is used in worship."
Because "they don't want to live on the margins" of society, "they are converting to Christianity," she noted.
Shah's study yielded some surprising results about the impact of Christian conversion on the lives of Dalit women in "a very violent urban slum."
The majority of Hindu, Muslim and Christian Dalit women interviewed were illiterate. Many belong to a microfinance program which gives them access to loans which they then use towards their children's education or to run a small business.
The first "unexpected pattern" Shah encountered was in housing. "The converts converted their loans to purchasing houses, and turned dead capital into resources to generate additional capital."
Housing is an exceptionally important issue because "these people live in a slum community. It's a transient community, they're originally migrant workers, they had de facto rights to the property, but did not have legally enforceable title," said Shah.
The impact of home ownership is crucial, since "by being able to own a house, these poor women were able to get bank loans, commercial loans, which they didn't have access to before that. When you have a house you can get a loan at 3 percent, instead of from a money lender at 18 percent. So having a house is a very important investment in your future, so you can have access to very affordable credit."
The second "dramatic" finding in Shah's study concerned domestic violence.
A national family health survey in India in 2005-2006 indicated that 86 percent of the women interviewed nationally had never told anyone that they had been abused.
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According to Shah, this large scale study indicated that a woman's religion was an important indicator of whether or not she would seek help. "Only 24 percent of Hindu women sought help, and 22 percent of Muslim women, but 32 percent of Christian women sought help," she noted.
Shah's own study "echoed" the national health data, in that "57 percent of women – a very large number of women – actually tell their pastor" about domestic violence.
She pointed to two key factors in the higher reporting of abuse. "These women are very closely involved, very actively involved, in their faith community. When they arrive in their weekly prayer meetings and they've got a gash across their face, or they're lacking a few teeth, they get noticed."
Furthermore, "pastors that are usually male visit the homes, and they repeatedly visit the homes, so at some point, the husband who's beating up his wife is shamed into stopping beating his wife."
This indicates a "very interesting connection" between home ownership and seeking help for domestic abuse, "because many of those women literally open the doors and bring their pastors into this very violent and very dark situation of their homes."
"It was a unique finding. We were not looking for this," added Shah.
The Georgetown researcher then pointed to the underlying factors that accompany an improvement in circumstances after conversion.
"Conversion activates in the converts a powerful new concept of value and initiative," she explained.
It offers "a radically different way of seeing themselves: seeing themselves as a new creation, a new identity, made in the image of God, seeking a better life for themselves."
"Poverty is inherently depressing. It's discouraging. It's debilitating. It breeds hopelessness: 'why bother?'" she reflected.
Yet with a new Christian vision, "The future is not terrifying. It can be achieved. Because God is with them, they can invest in the future. It's not something to ignore, not something to be terrified of."
Moreover, through the combination of a new sense of identity and access to credit in microfinance, "the converts may harness their agency and capability into investing in the future to improve their lives."
Conversion, then, first "changes who they believe themselves to be, it changes their self-conception, their belief in who they are, and secondly, it changes how they can change their family's future and themselves."
Shah noted that although she has completed a pilot study, "we're in the process of doing more rigorous research which will confirm these findings."


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text: Home - Search - Browse - Alphabetic Index: 0- 1- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9 A- B- C- D- E- F- G- H- I- J- K- L- M- N- O- P- Q- R- S- T- U- V- W- X- Y- Z More Details for 2002-04-18 Atlantis' astronauts tested out their ship's systems today and packed their gear, aiming for an early afternoon landing at the Kennedy Space Center Friday to wrap up a 4 ½ million mile mission to deliver a huge backbone truss structure to the International Space Station. Commander Mike Bloomfield, Pilot Steve Frick and Flight Engineer Ellen Ochoa activated one of three hydraulic power units on Atlantis and tested all of the shuttle's aerosurfaces to ensure that Atlantis will have full controllability during its high-speed return to Earth Friday. Bloomfield and Frick then test-fired Atlantis' steering jets, which were declared ready to support entry and landing. Bloomfield, Frick and Ochoa joined crewmates Rex Walheim, Lee Morin, Jerry Ross and Steve Smith to stow all of the equipment they have used over the past 10 days and parked the shuttle's KU-band dish antenna in preparation for the closing of Atlantis' cargo bay doors early Friday morning. Atlantis has two landing opportunities at the Kennedy Space Center on Friday. The first begins with the firing of Atlantis' braking rockets at 10:20 a.m. Central time, enabling the shuttle to drop out of orbit for its hour-long descent back to Earth and a touchdown on the 3-mile long Shuttle Landing Facility at KSC at 11:26 a.m. Central time. In the unlikely event weather prevents a landing on the first opportunity, a second opportunity is available for a Florida landing, beginning with the deorbit burn of the orbital maneuvering system engines on Atlantis at 11:59 a.m. Central time, resulting in a landing at KSC at 1:03 p.m. Central time. The weather forecast calls for very favorable conditions for landing at the Florida spaceport Friday, with only scattered clouds and light winds expected. As a result, the backup landing site at California's Edwards Air Force Base was not called up for support Friday. Atlantis has enough consumables to stay in orbit, if necessary, until Monday. Meanwhile, on board the ISS, Expedition Four Commander Yury Onufrienko and Flight Engineers Carl Walz and Dan Bursch spent a relatively quiet day in the wake of a week of joint operations with Atlantis' crew to install and activate the S-Zero (S0) truss and the Mobile Transporter railcar on the complex. Both of the new components continue to be checked out and are said to be in excellent shape. Onufrienko, Walz and Bursch will spend part of the day Friday deactivating some of the ISS systems as they prepare to board their Soyuz return vehicle early Saturday for a brief flyover from its current docking location at the nadir port of the Zarya module to the Pirs Docking compartment. The relocation of the Soyuz, which is expected to take about 35 minutes, will begin with undocking Saturday at 4:02 a.m. Central time (902 GMT). Coverage of the operation on NASA Television begins at 3 a.m. Central time (800 GMT). The movement of the Soyuz 3 vehicle from Zarya to Pirs opens the Zarya port for the arrival of a new Soyuz 4 craft on April 27 by a three-man "taxi" crew comprised of Commander Yuri Gidzenko, formerly of the Expedition One crew, Flight Engineer Roberto Vittori of the European Space Agency and South African spaceflight participant Mark Shuttleworth. They will be launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on April 25 and will spend about a week in joint operations with the Expedition Four crew before departing from Pirs in the Soyuz 3 craft on the night of May 4. The crew of Atlantis was scheduled to begin a scheduled eight-hour sleep period at 6:14 p.m. today, and will be awakened just after 2 a.m. Friday to prepare for entry and landing. All shuttle and ISS systems are operating normally. If Atlantis lands on Friday, the STS-110 astronauts will return home to Ellington Field in Houston near the Johnson Space Center at around 1 p.m. Central time Saturday. Home - Search - Browse - Alphabetic Index: 0- 1- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9 A- B- C- D- E- F- G- H- I- J- K- L- M- N- O- P- Q- R- S- T- U- V- W- X- Y- Z © 1997-2017 Mark Wade - Contact © / Conditions for Use |


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The UNO-COMBINED-CONTROLLER comprises the Temperature controller, the CO2/Air manual mixer and the Humidity Module. It is compatible with all the Stage Top Chambers and with the Okolab objective heater. It operates in chamber feedback mode. Sample feedback mode is possible via PC with the addition of the software package UNO-TS.
UNO-COMBINED-CONTROLLER has four independent temperature control channels: chamber base, chamber lid, objective heater, humidity module.
- T Range: from 3°C above ambient to 60°C
- T Accuracy:
- ± 0.3°C in chamber feedback mode
- ± 0.1°C in sample feedback mode with UNO-TS software
Gas Mixing
- Manual mixing of Air and 100% CO2 by means of floating ball flow meters
- CO2 range: 0-15%; Accuracy at 5% CO2: ± 1%
- Compatible with OKO-AIR-PUMP for operation with background air
- Temperature controlled bubbling column
- Humidification capacity at 37°C: gas relative humidity reaches 75% ca.
UNO-TS software
- Data logging via UNO-TS software
- External temperature sensor for calibration and metering purposes (supplied with UNO-TS)
- Automatic calibration of the objective heater via UNO-TS software


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Will Smith slaps journalist who tried to kiss him
MOSCOW - The Associated Press
Will Smith poses for photographers at a hotel during a photocall for his film 'Men in Black 3' in Moscow. AP photo
Hollywood star Will Smith has slapped a male television reporter who tried to kiss him before the Moscow premiere of "Men in Black III."The reporter from the Ukrainian television channel 1+1 approached Smith on the red carpet, put his hand on the actor's shoulder and tried to kiss him.
Smith pushed him away and then slapped him lightly across the cheek with the back of his left hand.
It was not clear whether reporter Vitalii Sediuk intended to kiss Smith on the cheek or on the lips.
In any case, Smith appeared shocked by the journalist's behavior at Friday night's premiere in the Russian capital.


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Over 4300 registered voters of Tongatapu 1 constituency are expected to cast their vote in the November 28 by-election, next Thursday.
This is to elect their new Member of Parliament to fill the seat of former MP and late Hon. Prime Minister, 'Akilisi Pohiva who passed away in September this year.
Election Supervisor, Pita Vuki confirms this morning. He said more than 4200 registered voters were registered in the electoral register in the 2015 general election. In 2017, over 4300 were registered to vote.
There are only two candidates that are vying to run for Tongatapu 1 vacant seat in Parliament. They are number one candidate Siaosi Pohiva and number two candidate Dr. Netatua Pelesikoti Taufatofua.
The by-election will kick off at 9am-4pm in five polling stations in Tonga and one each for 'Eua, Ha'apai, Vava'u and the Niuas.
It will be the first time for a by-election held for Tongatapu 1 electorate after their former MP served Parliament for 32 years.
The Office of the Legislative Assembly is urging eligible voters to exercise their democratic rights by electing their new MP to serve in Parliament in the next two years.


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Hey Everyone! I have a card to share today! I Know!... I am in as much disbelief as you! We are steadily approaching the Holiday season.. So I figured I would knock out a Halloween card BEFORE the day to celebrate it is here. For my share I used the set, Sweet Hauntings, found in the Holiday mini catalog. Here is my card -
I used the Brick Wall EF, and the Hearth and Home framelits too! To make the apothecary shelf , I scored it with the simply scored vertically and horizontally then added mini brads to resemble drawer pulls. I colored the bottles with both the blendabilities markers and copics, then covered each one with crystal effects, and added the little spider from Happy Scenes to hang from some silver thread for a little whimsy and I just love the outcome! now that is what I call a play day! Thanks for stopping by and taking a peek!
Heather :)
Stamps - Sweet Hauntings, Happy Scenes
Paper - Basic Gray, Smokey Slate, Whisper White
Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories - Blendabilities markers, Copic Markers, Big Shot, Brick Wall EF, Sponge, Crystal Effects, Mini Brads, Silver Thread, Dimensional Dots


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We love hacks that take quality products and make them better. This enhanced firmware for the VCI-100 is a great example of that. In a similar fashion as the Behringer hack, [DaveX] reverse engineer the firmware for the device and figured out a few ways to make it better. It improves the scratch controller and slider accuracy to use 9-bit accuracy from the ADC readings, which in the stock version were being shifted down to 7-bits. There's also a few LED tricks they call Disco Mode. They're selling a "chip" that you need to flash the firmware but from what we can see it's simply an RS232 converter so you might be able to figure out how to work without that part. We've embedded a demo of firmware version 1.4 after the break.
[Thanks Steve]